INDIANAPOLIS -- Partnership. Collaboration. Shipper of Choice. These were the buzzwords at this week's FTR Transportation Conference as truck and rail providers, shippers and others discussed the current capacity crunch and what's ahead for the freight transportation industry.

FTR’s Trucking Conditions Index increased to a reading of 8.49 for July, one of the highest points this year. The high values reflect rising prices and service lapses caused by the current capacity crisis. FTR says the TCI could go even higher this fall if the economy accelerates as expected.

Near-record-setting Class 8 truck orders of nearly 30,000 in July mean the industry is on track to potentially reach 325,000 Class 8 trucks this year, according to preliminary figures from two industry research groups.

The freight transportation forecasting firm FTR has released preliminary data showing June 2014 North American Class 8 truck net orders at 26,255 units, an impressive 41% year-over-year increase and the best June since 2005.

A measure of the health of the trucking industry has increased slightly, reflecting extremely tight capacity in the truckload sector, according to newly released numbers from the freight forecasting firm FTR

FTR has released preliminary data showing April 2014 North American Class 8 truck net orders at 24,115, 11% below March results. While orders tempered in April 2014 from the torrid pace set in the previous four months, they were 5% above a year ago, continuing the year over year positive comparisons for a fifteenth consecutive month.

2014 may be a very volatile year requiring increased shipper attention to market conditions. FTR’s Shippers Conditions Index for February, at a reading of -8.8, reflects an earlier than normal tightening of capacity created by the debilitating effects of winter storms in early 2014.

FTR’s Trucking Conditions Index reading of 8.82 for January reflects a very positive environment for truckers in early 2014. FTR expects the index to remain high as regulatory drag keeps capacity tight.

FTR's forecast for the 2014 U.S. Trailer is 240,000 units, a 2.2% increase over 2013. FTR expects dry vans to show a 2% year-over-year increase while reefer vans will remain flat. Flatbeds, dumps and low beds are all expected to show greater increases as construction and manufacturing improve.